An excerpt:
School Board members ... support ... Ingraham as an *optional* path for APP ... [but they want] ... APP students [to] commit very soon to go to Ingraham -- otherwise they will want to impose a geographic north/south split for ease and predictability of student assignment. A GEOGRAPHIC SPLIT AT HIGH SCHOOL CANNOT HAPPEN!Here is a quick way to e-mail all the school board members at once and Cc the superintendent, CAO, Advanced Learning Manager, and APP AC co-chairs.
We suggest you use whatever information we've sent that resonates with you and your family, together with your own personal experiences, to craft a *BRIEF* email to your School Board member. Be sure to cc all School Board Directors, the Superintendent, CAO, Advanced Learning Manager, and the APP AC.
It is most important to request ... [that] Ingraham is an OPTIONAL path for APP ... [and that] the Ingraham path remains ... [optional] even if APP numbers at Ingraham next year are lower than expected.
School Board Members:
michael.debell@seattleschools.org,
betty.patu@seattleschools.org,
peter.maier@seattleschools.org,
steve.sundquist@seattleschools.org,
sherry.carr@seattleschools.org,
kay.smith-blum@seattleschools.org,
harium.martin-morris@seattleschools.org
Update: One month later, the APP AC sent out an e-mail pointing to a draft of the transition plan (PDF). If the draft holds, APP high school will continue to be at Garfield for all APP students by default. APP students that would be entering Garfield will have the option of joining the new program at Ingraham (and, if they choose that option, but the program is too small to be viable, they will retain their place at Garfield, so there is low cost to choosing that option). The APP AC did warn that "Garfield will be very crowded the next few years ... [and] there will not be a lot of funding available to create a new program at Ingraham," but mostly good news here.
3 comments:
Full, unedited APP AC e-mail is below:
*APP Advisory Committee
Email 34: WRITE NOW~*
*December 8, 2010
*
**
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The APP AC has just sent out 2 versions, short and long, with our
recommendations regarding changes to
the APP high school path.
*NOW IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO WRITE!!*
There will be no more opportunities to provide testimony to the School Board
and Superintendent before
a plan is presented on January 5, so it is important for everyone to send an
email NOW.
Although most School Board members we've spoken with are willing to support
the Superintendent's
current plan of Ingraham as an *optional* path for APP, it is not definite.
They are hoping there will be
a certain number of APP students who commit very soon to go to
Ingraham--otherwise
they will
want to impose a geographic north/south split for ease and predictability of
student assignment.
A GEOGRAPHIC SPLIT AT HIGH SCHOOL CANNOT HAPPEN!
We suggest you use whatever information we've sent that resonates with you
and your family, together
with your own personal experiences, to craft a *BRIEF* email to your School
Board member.
Be sure to cc all School Board Directors, the Superintendent, CAO, Advanced
Learning Manager,
and the APP AC.
From our perspective, it is most important to request
1--that the new accelerated IB program at Ingraham is an OPTIONAL path
for APP in high school (and state why
without sounding entitled, keeping in mind that choice is no longer
an option for nearly all SPS students now),
2--that the Ingraham path remains an option even if APP numbers at
Ingraham next year are lower than expected.
They should not implement a geographic split if the threshold of APP
students going to Ingraham
is not met next year.
School Board Members:
michael.debell@seattleschools.org, betty.patu@seattleschools.org,
peter.maier@seattleschools.org,
steve.sundquist@seattleschools.org, sherry.carr@seattleschools.org,
kay.smith-blum@seattleschools.org,
harium.martin-morris@seattleschools.org
Superintendent Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson magoodloe@seattleschools.org
Chief Academic Officer, Dr. Susan Enfield saenfield@seattleschools.org
Advanced Learning Manager, Dr. Robert Vaughan (2 a's),
rcvaughan@seattleschools.org
and the APP AC listed below
The School Board is meeting tonight--watch on TV, Cable channel 21 at 6:00pm
and hear what they say!!!
Thank you!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
*APP Advisory Committee Members 2010-11
**Parent Members:**
*Co-Chairs, *Stephanie Bower* stbower@comcast.net* Geeta Teredesai*
geetaat@comcast.net
Secretary, *Ann Owens* ann@owensavage.com
Diversity Representative, *Roberto Jourdan* Ahero@rocketmail.com
At-large Representative, *Rachel Miller* rmiller_seattle@hotmail.com
Communications Representative, *Robert Njegovan* robertnappac@gmail.com
Lowell Elementary Parent Representative, *Hilary Meyerson*
hilarymeyerson@hotmail.com
Thurgood Marshall Elementary Parent Representative, *Sharmila Naidu-Williams
* sharmilanw@yahoo.com
Washington Middle School Parent Representative, *Shannon Wheeler*
shannonw@msn.com
Hamilton International Middle School Parent Representative, *Kathy Tanaka*
kathy.tanaka@att.net
Garfield High School Parent Representative, *Mary Ann Gwinn*
mgwinn@speakeasy.net
*Staff Members:
*Lowell Staff Representative,* Theresa Roth* trroth@seattleschools.org
Thurgood Marshall Staff Representative, *Will Miller*
wlmiller@seattleschools.org
Washington Staff Representative, *Amy Noji* aahallett@seattleschools.org
Hamilton Staff Representative, *Marcelyn Shadow*
mhshadow@seattleschools.org
Garfield Staff Representative, *Ken Courtney* kcourtney@seattleschools.org
The APP AC also sent out their recommendations for APP at Garfield. They sent out two versions, the "long version" and the "short version". Here is a copy of the short one:
*APP Advisory Committee
Email 32: APP Advisory Recommendations--short version*
*December 8, 2010
*
**
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The APP Advisory Committee has been active over the past weeks regarding
overcapacity at Garfield High
School and the District's proposal to create a Gifted High School Program at
Ingraham. After listening to
many parents, receiving many emails, talking individually with School Board
members, and weighing our
own experiences with program changes over the past years, the committee has
formulated these thoughts
and recommendations.
The Superintendent currently supports all current APP high school students
remaining at Garfield if they
choose, and the OPTION of choosing high school at Garfield or the new
proposed program at Ingraham.
This is important support for the APP program. The new program at Ingraham
is a creative option that
could benefit both APP students and enrollment at Garfield. It is important
to advocate NOW to
maintain Ingraham as an OPTION for APP high school students, even if
start-up numbers are low
next year. Supporting reasons are given in the longer email to follow.
Our recommendations cover three areas: (I) APP High School Paths, (II)
Garfield over-capacity, and
(III) Long-term APP vision.
**
*APP High School Path RECOMMENDATIONS:*
1. To benefit both the Garfield community and APP
students, maintain an APP cohort
size at Garfield of approximately 25% of the student population.
2. Allow APP high school students to attend Garfield High School OR the
new Gifted
High School Program IB/AP at Ingraham based on CHOICE, not
geographic residence.
A) AP at Garfield and IB at Ingraham are different
programs that meet different student needs.
B) A geographic north/south split of APP will not achieve the
desired enrollment for either
Ingraham or Garfield.
C) Current 8th graders cannot be forced into another program split at
high school.
D) Enroll students who WANT to be at Ingraham and Garfield in order for
students to invest
in their high school experience.
E) A forced geographic split will drive students away from APP.
3. Allow the new Ingraham program time to build APP enrollment if needed.
4. Offer improved transportation options to Ingraham ASAP.
5. Create and empower an effective Ingraham Design Team ASAP.
*Garfield Over-Capacity RECOMMENDATIONS:*
1. During this provisional period, make adjustments to school attendance
area boundaries for all
schools that experience over or under-capacity enrollment.
2. Suspend or reduce the 10% open seats for all schools that are at or
over capacity; increase
the percentage of open seats in schools that are under-enrolled.
3. Consider schedule changes such as adding a 7th period or 2-lunch day
at Garfield.
4. Consider temporary use of alternative spaces at the Student Health
Center or other appropriate spaces
*Long-term APP Vision RECOMMENDATIONS:*
1. Demonstrate a clear willingness to support and invest in the creation
of a new, successful branch
of the APP high school path at Ingraham.
2. Assess the impact of previous APP Splits
3. Work with the APP community to create clearly-stated short and
long-term plans and goals for
the Accelerated Progress Program.
Greg, thank you for posting these emails!!! It is important!!
Stephanie
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